Source: Postseason or else for A&M coach

Updated 11:31 am, Friday, November 1, 2013

Photo: David J. Phillip, Associated Press

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Texas A&M coach Billy Kennedy yells to his players during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Florida, Thursday, Jan. 17, 2013, in College Station, Texas. Florida defeated Texas A&M 68-47. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) less

Texas A&M coach Billy Kennedy yells to his players during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Florida, Thursday, Jan. 17, 2013, in College Station, Texas. Florida defeated Texas ... more

Photo: David J. Phillip, Associated Press

Source: Postseason or else for A&M coach

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COLLEGE STATION — Texas A&M played its lone open exhibition game Wednesday night, and the Aggies are showing signs of life under third-year coach Billy Kennedy. That's a good thing for Kennedy and Co., because essentially he and his staff have been put on notice by Aggies athletic director Eric Hyman that it's postseason or pink slips for this bunch, according to a person with knowledge of the situation.

The idea being Kennedy's program — which as the coach pointed out Wednesday has six first-year players — needs to at least make the NIT and preferably the NCAA tournament this season. Hyman responded to the claim Thursday by saying he waits until the end of the season to evaluate coaches and then looks into how the program can improve.

The Aggies open their regular season in a week against Buffalo at Reed Arena. A&M made the NCAA tournament from 2006-11 under the former staffs of Billy Gillispie (the first two NCAAs) and Mark Turgeon (the last four) but have missed out on the postseason in the first two years with Kennedy, a former Murray State coach.